This week’s #writerwednesday post is a day early for a very special reason.

May is Lupus Awareness Month, and Wednesday, May 10 is World Lupus Day! Please wear Purple on Wednesday, May 10 to show your support for the millions of people affected by lupus. 

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body, causing the immune system to attack healthy tissue instead of fighting infections. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, a challenge to treat, and can be fatal. Lupus strikes without warning, affects each person differently, and has no known causes or cure.

Lupus is considered an “invisible” illness because most of its symptoms aren’t always visible. While someone with lupus may look fine on the outside, the disease typically wreaks havoc on one’s body and organs while causing physical, emotional, and mental strain and pain. Because others do not realize or understand the daily struggles of someone who has lupus, lupus patients often feel isolated. 

I am one of the millions of people affected by lupus, and so is one of my younger students. It is in her honor that I am advocating for lupus awareness this year so she knows she is not alone.

I like to describe having lupus with an analogy from Forrest Gump: it’s like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get.

I have been dealing with a pretty intense flare since March, and man, this one is a doozy. I endure when I can and rest when I must, but I know things could always be worse. If this flare is like previous ones, fingers crossed I am closer to its end versus its beginning. My mantra this month is “My purpose is stronger than my pain” and am grateful at the end of each day for its lessons and victories.

Please join me in making lupus visible by wearing purple on Wednesday, May 10 to let those affected by lupus know they aren’t alone.

You can learn more about lupus by reading this fact sheet or by visiting the Lupus Awareness Month page on lupus.org.

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.

With light and love,

Jill

“Wear Purple for World Lupus Day on Wednesday” was posted on jillocone.com on May 9, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.